Breakdown Companies Calling For safety Rules

Credit Agencies

We all know as drivers how dangerous it can be when you breakdown, whether it be on a country lane or a motorway.
If you are unable to move and you are on a blind corner, or on the hard shoulder, you can sometimes be taking your life in your own hands.

However its not just drivers and passengers that are at risk from having an accident.

In the past 12 months 3 members of staff from breakdown firms have been killed.

The most recent death was of an RAC technician on the A617 in June aged 33 years old, who was hit by a car whilst carrying out a roadside repair.
Two other roadside technicians have also been killed along with with numerous other roadside incidents.

The AA, RAC and Green Flag have joined forces to appeal to the the road safety minister Jesse Norman MP, to bring in a new safety rule to help protect their roadside technicians.

They have asked that traffic is to slow down if the roadside assistance vehicle has its amber lights flashing, and for cars to change their position on the road.
They are asking for a new ‘Slow down, move over’ rule to be implemented.

What would the new ‘slow down, move over’ rule mean.

This would require drivers to reduce their speed when approaching and passing a broken down vehicle with or without a recovery vehicle present. When a recovery vehicle is attending a broken down vehicle they always have their amber lights flashing to give plenty of warning to oncoming traffic. It would also require drivers to give plenty of space when passing the broken down vehicle, reducing the risk of technicians and drivers/passengers being hit by on coming vehicles.

The breakdown companies have also called for a THINK! Road safety campaign showing the dangers, and high lighting how drivers should respond.

Bringing in the ‘Slow down, move over’ rule could not only help the safety of road side technicians but also help towards the safety of other road workers who regularly risk their lives carrying outwork on our busy roads.